Wolverines Look to Gain Ground in Series Against Badgers at Yost

Friday, February 7

Ann Arbor, Mich.

6:00 PM

Michigan

Wisconsin

Luke Morgan (Michigan Photography)

Wolverines Look to Gain Ground in Series Against Badgers at Yost

2/5/2020 3:16:00 PM | Ice Hockey

By: Kristy McNeil

• Complete Game Notes (PDF)
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PROMOTIONS
• Feb. 7: Fan Choice Night
• Full Promotions Schedule

With just four weeks remaining in the regular season, the University of Michigan ice hockey team looks to make a push in the Big Ten standings when it hosts Wisconsin this weekend at Yost Ice Arena. On Friday (Feb. 7) the game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network at 6 p.m., while Saturday's (Feb. 8) game will be streamed live on BTN Plus at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for both games are standing-room only. Saturday's game also is Fan Choice night as fans will have the opportunity to have a say in the gameday experience at Yost. Follow the Michigan Hockey social media platforms throughout the week to vote on in-game contests, music and more.

The Series

• Michigan and Wisconsin will meet for the 152nd time in program history with U-M leading, 76-62-13, in the all-time series against the Badgers. The teams first met in January 1923 as Michigan hosted Wisconsin for the first two varsity games in Wolverine program history. Michigan swept that series with a 2-1, double-overtime win and a 1-0 victory.

• The teams split their early-season matchup on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 in Madison. Michigan held a 2-0 lead midway through the first game on power-play goals from Cam York and Will Lockwood. Wisconsin then scored three unanswered for a 3-2 win. On Saturday (Dec. 1), the Wolverines got revenge with a 3-1 win. Eric Ciccolini scored his first career goal, Luke Morgan had a short-handed goal and Jake Slaker had an empty-net tally. Michigan outshot Wisconsin, 67-56, in the series with both goalies, Strauss Mann and Wisconsin's Daniel Lebedeff, allowing four goals apiece.

Wolverine Bites

Michigan split last weekend's series with then-ranked No. 11 Ohio State, and are 4-1-1 since the turn of the calendar year. Overall, the Wolverines sit at 11-12-3 with a 6-8-2-1 Big Ten record. Sophomore Strauss Mann ranks fourth in the nation in save percentage at .934 and is eighth in goals-against average with a 1.96. Seniors Jake Slaker and Will Lockwood pace the offense with 16 and 15 points, respectively. Slaker has a team-high eight goals and Lockwood owns a team-best nine assists. Freshmen Johnny Beecher, Cam York and senior Nick Pastujov follow with 12 points apiece.

Scouting the Badgers

Wisconsin comes into the weekend with a 10-15-1 overall record and is last in the Big Ten standings with a 5-12-1-1 mark. The Badgers were swept by Minnesota last weekend, 6-2 and 4-2, but split the three conference series prior versus Notre Dame, Michigan State and Ohio State. Rookie Cole Caufield leads the team's offense with 17 goals and 11 assists for 28 points. Defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk adds 22 points on 16 assists and six goals. Both Roman Ahcan and Linus Weissbach have 19 points and Alex Turcotte has 11. Jack Berry has played the majority of minutes in goal as of late. He has an .886 save percentage and a 3.50 GAA in 11 games played. Lebedeff has an .895 save percentage and a 3.34 in 19 games played.

Up Next

Friday, Feb. 14 -- at Michigan State (East Lansing, Mich.), 6 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 17 -- vs. Michigan State - Duel in the D (Detroit, Mich.), 7 p.m.